Happy Upstate New York Day!!

You didn’t know that May 18th is Upstate New York Day? How could you have missed it? Were you not looking at the calendar? Did Siri not remind you? Wow…

Yeah, May 18th is Upstate New York Day. It’s not celebrated in Utica or Syracuse or anywhere west of there; and don’t look for it in New York City or in the lower Hudson Valley.

Upstate New York Day. It’s today. And it’s for us.

See, today is May the 18th, which matches our area code of 5-1-8. We received the 518 area code because our original telephone exchange building was at 158 State Street. You couldn’t start an area code with the number 1, so we became the 518 area. If it had been left as originally planned, we could have celebrated this day on January 58th. Might be tough to do that.

And how, pray tell, does one celebrate “Capital District Day”?

There are many ways. Let’s enumerate.

When someone says they’re going to spend the weekend in “The City,” kindly remind them that Albany is a “city” and that you hope they have a good time in Albany. And when they say, “No, I’m talking about THE City,” kindly remind them that Albany is not a village or a town or a hamlet.

When someone says they’re going to “The Track,” kindly let them know that Saratoga Race Course won’t open for another month or so, but they should have a great time at the harness track. Or if they’re referring to a NASCAR track, feel free to point out that there’s plenty of short-track racing at Lebanon Valley Speedway, and they don’t have to schlep all the way to Watkins Glen or Pocono for some stock car racing.

Support your local non-franchised businesses. Purchase your fast food at Mac’s or Gus’s or Jumpin’ Jack’s.

Fire up the web browser and check out the latest from All Over Albany or Indie Albany or Nippertown or Keep Albany Boring. Four fun blogs that are totally dedicated to the 518.

Break out that old Albany Patroons T-shirt or that River Rats game-worn hockey jersey. It’ll look great when you go up to the Great Escape or to Saratoga Harness or any other Capital District or Adirondack destination.

And through it all, enjoy the 18th of May, our own personal upstate celebratory day! Let’s have a party, Albany!

Sing a song about Schenectady at the top of your lungs!

Sing about building an Adirondack chair in the Adirondacks!

Belt out a classic about the Empire State Plaza’s performing arts center… that’s right… the Egg.

And let’s also rock out with They Might Be Giants with their hit song, “Canajoharie”!!

And let’s party with one of the 518’s hottest bands… Saratoga Springs’ Phantogram! It’s like they’re everywhere, Charlie…

So let’s go out and have lots of fun and celebrate Upstate New York day! Tell your boss it’s a holiday and you want the day off! He’ll understand! He may want to take the day off, too!